9 Day AAT Kings Southern Spotlight Tour – South Island Explorer
Discover the South Island’s highlights on this 9-day guided tour. From Christchurch to Queenstown and Milford Sound, enjoy New Zealand at a relaxed pace.
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From *$4692 NZD per person twin share
〰️ From *$4692 NZD per person twin share
Package Holiday Details
Travel Style: Guided Coach Tour
Accomodation Level: 3 Star
Price subject to seasonal changes
Tour leaves on set days
Cost of suggested activities not included
The 9 Day AAT Kings Southern Spotlight tour is the perfect way to experience the breathtaking scenery of New Zealand’s South Island. Starting in Christchurch, you’ll journey through highlights including Lake Tekapo, Mount Cook, Dunedin, Milford Sound, Queenstown, and Franz Josef Glacier. A true highlight is the world-famous TranzAlpine train, travelling through Arthur’s Pass back to Christchurch. With a balance of sightseeing and free time, plus plenty of optional activities along the way, this tour is ideal for travellers who want to see the South Island’s most iconic destinations without feeling rushed.
Visited Locations
Christchurch 〰️ Omarama 〰️ Queenstown 〰️ Milford Sound 〰️ Franz Alpine 〰️ Te Anau 〰️Dunedin
ITINERARY
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INCLUDED: Private Transfer Christchurch Airport to Christchurch Accommodation
On arrival, you will be met by a private driver and transferred to your Christchurch accommodation.
Staying in: Wyndham Garden (1 night)Welcome to Christchurch City
Christchurch New Zealand's garden city is steadily being transformed into a vibrant urban destination. Encompassing a large green belt, it is known for its wide tree lined avenues and lush gardens. A great way to explore the city or easy way to see the sights or ride the historic trams across town to the renowned botanic gardens and the unique cardboard Transitional Cathedral, that's right it is built of cardboard!
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On your city tour view the mind-bending Transitional Cathedral, made largely of cardboard, and Turanga, the gold-clad central library. From here, your outlook is the Canterbury Plains: the turquoise waters of Lake Tekapo, the quaint Church of the Good Shepherd, snow-capped mountains and atmospheric towns. Your Indoor Dark Sky Astronomy Experience at Tekapo, hosted by passionate guides, will forever change the way you see the night sky. You'll see for yourself it may be one of the quietest spots on the planet, yet it has one of the busiest skies in the universe.
Staying in: Distinction Heritage Gateway Hotel (1 night)
Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner
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Oamaru, with its Victorian heritage buildings, stands proud before you journey further south toward the Edinburgh of the South: Dunedin. It’s easy to while away the afternoon in the city’s atmospheric art-lined alleys. Or venture further afield to discover the wildlife that thrives in this pretty pocket of the country – fur seals among them. Thirsty? Visit Speight's Brewery, a New Zealand institution.
Staying in: Scenic Hotel Dunedin City (1 night)
Meals included: Breakfast
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Dunedin’s Scottish ancestry is everywhere you look, from the manicured grounds of Otago University to the city’s main George Street. Rolling green hills dotted with doe-eyed sheep are replaced by soaring mountains as you weave your way into Fiordland National Park and the South Island’s biggest lake and the town of Te Anau. Soak up the serenity – it doesn’t get any better than this.
Staying in: Distinction Luxmore Hotel (1 night)
Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner
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From the moment you step outside today, nature rules. Your route through Fiordland National Park is an intoxicating union of beech forests, alluvial flats, meadows and mirror-like lakes. Gin-clear rivers carve the countryside, with all roads leading to your Milford Sound/Piopiotahi. Cruising this World Heritage listed expanse will give you goosebumps, a string of waterfalls creating a misty curtain across sheer escarpments.
Staying in: Copthorne Hotel and Resort (1 night)
Meals included: Breakfast
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Take today at your own pace. Like things fast and furious? Feel the wind in your hair on the high-octane Skippers Jet, perhaps. There’s a reason why Queenstown is known as the adventure capital of the country. Nature lover? Discover some of New Zealand’s feathered friends at a wildlife centre. Wherever you wander, make sure you’re back in time to glide across Lake Wakatipu aboard the historic TSS Earnslaw to Walter Peak High Country Farm for a gourmet barbecue Highlight Dinner.
Staying in: Copthorne Hotel and Resort (1 night)
Meals included: Breakfast, Speciality Dinner
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Try and keep count of today’s lakes. Leaving Lake Wakatipu behind, Arrowtown appears on the horizon. We know you’ll want to linger in the movie-set-like streets, lined with trees and character-filled boutiques. But Lake Dunstan awaits, as do its orchards. Pause to refuel on flavour-packed stone fruit. Then there’s Lake Hawea followed by Lake Wanaka, with its Instagrammable shoreline of poplars and willows. Over the Haast Pass to the town of Franz Josef, where, this afternoon you may choose to fly over Franz Josef Glacier/Ka Roimata o Hine Hukatere.
Staying in: Scenic Hotel Franz Josef Glacier (1 night)
Meals included: Breakfast, Dinner
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Swap snow for pounamu (native greenstone or jade) in Hokitika. Just when you thought your adventure couldn’t get any better, you’ll aboard the TranzAlpine train bound for Christchurch, through tunnels and over viaducts with panoramic views of snow-capped peaks, icy rivers, beech forests, gorges and river valleys.
Staying in: Wyndham Garden (1 night)
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New Zealand’s South Island never fails to wow. We hope you find the words to describe this epic New Zealand tour to your family back home.
Inclusions
8 x Breakfasts, 4 x Dinners, 1x Special Dinner 〰️ 3 Star Accommodation 〰️ Airport Transfers 〰️ Transalpine Train 〰️ Milford Sound Cruise 〰️ TSS Earnslaw Cruise with BBQ Dinner 〰️Christchurch City Tour and Tram Ride
